The Hope of Elves and Men
by Fastred of the North
Summary: The Lord of Waters has delivered a message to Turgon, setting great events in motion. A brief poetic story of the rise and fall of Gondolin, as well as the Great Battle and the Prophecy of the End.


**Disclaimer****: **I am grateful to J.R.R. Tolkien and his son Christopher Tolkien, without whose works on Middle-earth this story would not be possible.

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**A****uthor's Note:** This is an experimental piece based upon the roles of Gondolin and Eärendil in the Silmarillion saga. It is basically a free-rhyme, free-verse piece influenced in part by Anglo-Saxon epic poetry. Most of the names of people and places are in Quenya, the language of the Noldorin Elves; where applicable, I have provided their Sindarin equivalents, along with brief explanations, at the end of the poem.

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"_Love not too well the work of thy hands and the devices of thy heart; and remember that the true hope of the Noldor lieth in the West and cometh from the Sea." _\- The Silmarillion

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**The Hope of Elves and Men**

"Heed thou my words!"

Speaks Ulmo at the last;

Turukáno stands silent,

Answering not, while

The Lord of Waters

With sombre visage

Looks long on him,

Ñolofinwë's second son.

The waves crash,

The winds rush.

\

Then each turns away,

The Vala seaward,

The Elda landward,

Fate drives them on.

The Doom of Námo,

Grave judge of Mandos,

Sets the counsel of Ulmo,

Dweller in the deep,

'Gainst the malice of Melkor,

Thrice-cursed woe-thrall.

\

A span of years passes.

The Hidden Realm

Is founded free,

'Mid encircling peaks,

Where the Eagles watch,

Messengers of Manwë.

Within Ondolindë,

Memory of Tirion,

Fairest of cities,

Time is purchased.

\

The lands groan,

The wrath of Darkness

Spreads abroad,

With hate and guile.

All realms are beset,

Hísilómë and Himring

And Nargothrond.

But last of all

Stands the Hidden City,

Yet not for long,

For within Ardalomba,

Treason awakes.

\

But hope lives still,

For from that refuge,

City of seven names,

White-walled beauty,

A new star arises,

Eärendil the Blessed,

Sea-friend most renowned,

Who braves the deep,

Perils, and enchants,

And pleads the cause

Of Elves and Men,

Before the thrones

Of the Powers themselves.

\

The Valar hearken,

And bring to pass

That mighty contest,

The War of Wrath,

Greatest in Arda

Save one yet to come,

The Dagor Dagorath,

When forth he shall come,

Mariner of the heavens,

Brightest of stars,

Once more to strive,

Moringotto to defeat.

Then renewed shall Earth be,

And Ainur and Quendi,

Atani and Kasari,

To Eru shall sing

Glad praise for evermore.

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"_For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for ever."_ \- I Peter 1:24-25a

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**Notes on Terms:**

Ulmo – the Lord of Waters; one of the Valar

Turukáno – Turgon, son of Fingolfin

Ñolofinwë – Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth

Vala – one of the Powers or Guardians of the World

Elda – one of the Elves of the West

Námo – Mandos, the Doomsman of the Valar

Melkor – the greatest of the Valar, Evil incarnate, later named Morgoth

Manwë – the greatest of the Valar after Melkor's fall; the Elder King, Vicegerent of Arda

Ondolindë – Gondolin, the city that Turgon founded in the Encircling Mountains

Tirion – the city of the Noldor in Valinor

Hísilómë – Hithlum, the realm ruled by Fingolfin and later his eldest son Fingon

Himring – the principal stronghold of Maedhros, cousin of Turgon

Nargothrond – the dwelling of Finrod and later of Orodreth, cousins of Turgon

Ardalomba – a name for Gondolin meaning "place of secret"

Eärendil – the son of Tuor, a mortal Man, and Idril, daughter of Turgon

War of Wrath – the final battle in the First Age that overthrew Morgoth

Arda – the world

Dagor Dagorath – the Battle of Battles, the final "Armageddon" in which Morgoth is defeated forever

Moringotto – Morgoth, the "Black Foe", formerly called Melkor

Quendi – Elves

Atani - Men

Kasari - Dwarves

Eru - God


End file.
